A portion of proceeds from prints of the work will benefit the local historical society.

Patricia Buckley was once told by her teachers that she wasn't “proficient in anything.” She suffered from dyslexia at a time when little was known about the condition.

But the young New Yorker soon caught one teacher's attention, who saw that the little girl was artistically gifted. The teacher convinced the girl's mother to enroll her in a school for girls, where she could thrive artistically.

And thrive she did.

Artist P. Buckley Moss has been called one of “America's most prized living artists.”

Moss will sign copies of her work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 22 at Martin's Gallery on Baltimore Street. The gallery is selling a new, original painting Moss created specifically for the 250th anniversary of Hanover's founding, as well as prints of the painting. The painting, called “Sestercentennial, Hanover, PA” features three historic buildings from the town.

Born Patricia Buckley in May 1933, Moss got her start at the Washington Irving High School for the Fine Arts and went on to become an alumna of Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. The little girl who couldn't do anything now has her art in more than 200 galleries worldwide, including Martin's Gallery.

Moss started making a name for herself at Martin's with her prints of Amish life scenes. Colleen Reese of the Hanover Area Historical Society owns several of Moss' prints and developed the idea of commissioning original work from the artist.

“I've met her several times,” Reese said. “She's a friendly woman and loves Hanover, so I thought asking her to do this piece would be perfect to commemorate the 250th anniversary. She agreed and we told her the buildings we wanted to feature.”

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Those buildings span the history of Hanover, historical society member Mikele Stillman said. Hanover started out as a crossroads in the 1700s and was very prosperous at the time, Stillman said. One of the buildings featured in Moss' newest piece is Hanover's open marketplace, which stood at the crossroads, now Center Square. The building dates back to 1763, Stillman said.

The Neas House, which was built in 1783 at Chestnut and High streets, is also in the painting. The historical society now owns that house and makes it available for tours. The famous Warehime-Myers Mansion, which was built in 1912 and is also owned by the Hanover Area Historical Society, is also featured in the painting.

“Her work is lyrical,” Stillman said of Moss' paintings. “That's the only way I know to say it. The light brush strokes, the simplicity of it ... it's so beautiful and speaks to you. She's an artist that people understand.”

Including all three landmarks in a single painting is significant, Stillman said, because Moss usually paints one building at a time or she paints Amish scenes.

“She went very far to paint this for Hanover,” Stillman said. “We feel very fortunate to have her paint these for us.”

The original is also on sale at the gallery. Reese said a percentage of sales from the painting and prints will go to the historical society. Prints of this piece and Moss' other works can be ordered at Martin's Gallery, at the signing held on June 22, or at an additional signing Moss will hold at the Warehime-Myers Mansion, Baltimore Street, Hanover, from 6 to 9 p.m. June 21.

“The original is so beautiful,” Reese said. “All of her work is, and we feel so honored for her to do this for Hanover.”

ahaney@eveningsun.com; 717-637-3736, ext. 123

If you go

Artist P. Buckley Moss will sign prints of her latest work June 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Warehime-Myers Mansion on Baltimore Street in Hanover.

On Saturday, June 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., she will sign prints at Martin's Art Gallery, 929 Baltimore St.

A portion of the proceeds from prints of her new Hanover painting will benefit the Hanover Area Historical Society.

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